The spillage of liquids is a common occurrence when transferring liquids from one container to another, such as transferring fuel from a fuel storage container, to a destination container, such as a fuel tank that supplies an internal combustion engine. Spillage can occur in the form of overflowing the destination container, or in the form of dripping or draining of the device that is used to transfer the liquid. Very frequently, spillage occurs due to user error, stemming from improper use of the device that is used to transfer the liquid, or because of an oversight where the user is not being sufficiently attentive during the process of transferring the liquid. The spillage of liquids is a messy, wasteful, costly and potentially hazardous problem.
Generally, it is desirable to reduce or eliminate the spillage of liquids that occurs when transferring liquids from a source container to a destination container. This is especially true for liquids that are toxic, volatile or flammable. In instances where toxic, volatile or flammable liquids are being transferred, spillage poses a significant danger to those in close proximity and to the surrounding environment in the form of pollution.
Portable fuel containers typically utilize a flexible or rigid spout securely attached thereto at an upper outlet where in order to deliver liquid from these portable containers, the portable container is typically lifted and tilted so that the liquid can be poured from the spout into the destination container. This method results in a lot of spillage and that has led to the development of refueling systems which comprise a pump, hose and typically a nozzle. In these systems, the dispensing end of the nozzle is placed into the destination container, and liquid is delivered from the portable container to the destination container, either by means of pumping or siphoning. In each case where such portable containers are used, be it pouring, pumping or siphoning, the opportunity for spilling due to improper use or operator error always exists.
In order to preclude such overflow and spilling, automatic shut-off nozzles can be used. When used properly, these auto-shutoff nozzles will automatically shut off the flow of liquid as the receiving container becomes full to prevent overflowing. Even with such auto-shutoff nozzles, spillage still occurs and often occurs in the following four instances.
In one such instance, spillage can occur with automatic shut-off nozzles when a user attempts to slowly “top off the tank”. Accordingly, when fuel is dispensed at a slow rate, the auto-shutoff mechanism does not create enough of a decrease in vapor pressure to close the valve in the nozzle when the fuel level in the destination container reaches the tip of the spout. Accordingly, the flow of fuel into the destination container will continue, resulting in the overflow of the destination container.
In the second instance, dripping and drainage can occur when the nozzle is removed from the destination container soon after the nozzle has been shut off, which allows a small but significant amount of fuel to drain from the spout of the nozzle. This is due to the placement of the valve within the body of the nozzle, thus leaving several centimeters of open spout to drain. This applies to the liquid delivery conduit and in some instances the vapor recovery conduit.
A third instance of spillage occurs when filling fuel tanks, and the like, that have a narrow fill pipe. This diameter is only slightly greater than the diameter of the spout. The peripheral volume of air between the spout and the fill pipe, above the vapor inlet of the spout, is quite small. Accordingly, it takes only a brief amount of time for the flow of fuel to fill this peripheral volume and subsequently overflow the fill pipe.
This is true if there is a delay in the auto shutoff mechanism for instance if the auto shutoff mechanism fails or if the user is pumping slowly in order to “top off the tank” and when using spouts that are attached directly to containers.
A fourth instance of spillage occurs due to operator error, stemming from improper use of the dispensing system, or because of an oversight where the user is not paying attention during the filling process.
In order to circumvent the problem of relying on venturies or vapor recovery to actuate a valve closing mechanism, U.S. Pat. No. 7,082,969, issued Aug. 1, 2006, to Hollerback, uses a liquid sensor in the vapor recovery line. The liquid sensor ultimately causes the pump of the fuel delivery system to shut off. While this system might work well in commercial fuel delivery systems, it has no application in portable manually operable fuel transfer systems that have no source of power, and therefore is not universally applicable. Further, there is a lag between the time the pumps shuts off and the closing of the valve in the liquid delivery line and the vapor recovery line. In a portable manually operable fuel transfer system, this lag can readily lead to the overflowing of the destination container, and also can allow the dripping and drainage of fuel from the spout of the nozzle.
Another important consideration with such automatic shut-off nozzles used in portable fuel transfer systems is that of cost. Such automatic shut-off nozzles have their genesis in the design of nozzles used in commercial fuel filling stations, and accordingly have numerous moving parts. Reducing the number of moving parts would both reduce the cost of the nozzle and reduce the chance of either temporary or permanent failure of the nozzle.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic shut-off nozzle for use in a non-overflow liquid delivery system.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic shut-off nozzle for use in a non-overflow liquid delivery system for delivering liquid into a destination container, and recovering excess liquid from the destination container.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic shut-off nozzle for use in a non-overflow liquid delivery system for delivering liquid into a destination container, and recovering excess liquid from the destination container, wherein liquid is sensed to close valve in the spout in the automatic shut-off nozzle.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic shut-off nozzle for use in a non-overflow liquid delivery system, wherein, in use, the volume of liquid in the destination container stops increasing once liquid in the destination container covers the liquid-receiving inlet of the nozzle.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic shut-off nozzle for use in a non-overflow liquid delivery system, which nozzle substantially eliminates spillage due to overflowing of liquid from the destination container.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic shut-off nozzle for use in a non-overflow liquid delivery system, which nozzle will greatly reduce spillage due to dripping or drainage that can occur once the liquid transfer process is complete.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic shut-off nozzle for use in a non-overflow liquid delivery system, wherein the flow control valve controls both the flow of liquid in the liquid delivery conduit and the flow of liquid in the liquid recovery conduit.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic shut-off nozzle for use in a non-overflow liquid delivery system, wherein the flow control valve is located in the spout of the nozzle.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic shut-off nozzle for use in a non-overflow liquid delivery system, which nozzle minimizes the chance of user error.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic shut-off nozzle for use in a non-overflow liquid delivery system, which nozzle helps preclude the pollution of the environment.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic shut-off nozzle for use in a non-overflow liquid delivery system, which nozzle is cost effective to manufacture.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic shut-off nozzle for use in a non-overflow liquid delivery system, which is part of a portable fuel transfer system.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic shut-off nozzle for use in a non-overflow liquid delivery system, which is part of a portable fuel transfer system, for delivering liquid into a destination container, and recovering excess liquid from the destination container.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic shut-off nozzle for use in a non-overflow liquid delivery system, which is part of a portable fuel transfer system, for delivering liquid into a destination container, and recovering excess liquid from the destination container, wherein liquid is sensed to close valve in the spout in the automatic shut-off nozzle.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic shut-off nozzle for use in a non-overflow liquid delivery system, which is part of a portable fuel transfer system, wherein, in use, the volume of liquid in the destination container stops increasing once liquid in the destination container covers the fluid-receiving inlet of the nozzle.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic shut-off nozzle for use in a non-overflow liquid delivery system, which is part of a portable fuel transfer system, which nozzle substantially eliminates spillage due to overflowing of liquid from the destination container.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic shut-off nozzle for use in a non-overflow liquid delivery system, which is part of a portable fuel transfer system, which nozzle will greatly reduce spillage due to dripping or drainage that can occur once the liquid transfer process is complete.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic shut-off nozzle for use in a non-overflow liquid delivery system, which is part of a portable fuel transfer system, wherein the flow control valve controls both the flow of liquid in the liquid delivery conduit and the flow of liquid in the liquid recovery conduit.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic shut-off nozzle for use in a non-overflow liquid delivery system, which is part of a portable fuel transfer system, wherein the flow control valve is located in the spout of the nozzle.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic shut-off nozzle for use in a non-overflow liquid delivery system, which nozzle minimizes the chance of user error.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic shut-off nozzle for use in a non-overflow liquid delivery system, which is part of a portable fuel transfer system, which nozzle helps preclude the pollution of the environment.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic shut-off nozzle for use in a non-overflow liquid delivery system, which is part of a portable fuel transfer system, and which nozzle is cost effective to manufacture.